Wharves
Locations article |image=BO2-TW-Wharves.png |caption=Typical Wharves environment in the post-Blood Omen era |introduced= Blood Omen 2 (2002) |appearances= Blood Omen 2 }} The Wharves was the dockyards of Meridian, it was a playable location in Blood Omen 2 visited in Betrayal (chapter) by Kain (and Umah). The Wharves was a heavily guarded fortress as it "controled all trade and travel to and from Meridian". Kain: "What are the defenses here?"//'Umah:' "The heaviest of all the Sarafan outposts. They control all trade and all travel to and from Meridian."//'Kain:' "The Sarafan are nothing compared to what I have faced, and destroyed."//'Umah:' "Don't be arrogant. Their finest warriors will be waiting within. The Glyph Knights are deadly."//'Kain:' "We shall see." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. It also had notable links to the Hylden City as many warships and freighters loaded and unloaded in great secrecy bound for the Hylden City. Profile After Kain liberated Janos, the Cabal were able to determine that the Hylden, with the Device destroyed, would soon begin an invasion of Nosgoth using the Hylden Gate . Finding that the Hylden City and Hylden Gate were protected by a 'magical shield' that preventedTeleportation, Kain was sent to the Wharves to seek a ship travelling to the Hylden City, so that the shield could be deactivated, allowing the Cabal to mount a final assault. Janos: "He has created a base in this world, the Hylden City, across the sea. There he has opened a Gate to bring his kind into our world. My plan was to teleport us to the Hylden City, and launch a final assault on the Sarafan Lord, but now I find there is some kind of shield of magic that prevents me. If we are to fight them, that shield must be destroyed."//'Kain:' "Vorador, where is the Hylden City? Have any of your spies brought you this knowledge?"//'Vorador:' "Umah, what do you know of this?"//'Umah:' "There has been, in the past months, enormous activity at the Wharves. Warships and freighters, loading and unloading in great secrecy. The few of our people who have infiltrated the area, and returned alive, have told me that the ships all seem to take the same course out of the harbor, but we do not know their destination."//'Janos:' (to Kain)"It must be the Hylden City. Why else would there be such interest at this time? You must take a ship to the city at once. There, you must find and deactivate the shield, so whatever forces we can bring may come to your aid, and close the Gate for all time." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Reluctantly, Kain accepted the assistance of Umah. Kain:(to Vorador) "Have someone show me to the Wharves. I will make my way aboard one of those ships that is about to sail. When I have deactivated the shield, I will contact you."//'Umah:' "I’m going with him."//'Vorador:' "But I will need you here –"//'Umah:' "Sire, I know the Wharves. And where one may fail alone, two may succeed." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Kain: "I have no need of a guard at my back. You will find me perfectly competent for this task, I assure you."//'Umah:' "It is a chance we cannot afford to take. Not when all we have fought for is at stake."//'Janos:' "There is more at stake than you can imagine. Take help where it is offered, Kain."//'Vorador:' "It is settled. I will prepare our forces for the final attack." (~He holds out one hand to Umah~)"Go well, my child."//'Janos:' "Go well, both of you."//'Kain:' ""Take help where it is offered." Yet I have always found that help offered when not needed is usually no help at all." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. At the start of Chapter 10:The Wharves, Kain and Umah arrived at the bridge entrance to the Wharves, intending to board a galley to the Hylden City. Umah: "Vorador has said we must seek out a war galley. We should search the Southern Docks." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Objective 1: Find and Board the Galley "Ships regularly depart from the wharves to the Hylden Gate. You'll need to locate one and sneak aboard." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Blood Omen 2(2002).Page 79.ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 Umah warned Kain about the dangers of the Wharves "'''Betrayal:' The waterfront is bustling with activity, as Hylden supply ships make their way from here to the Hylden Gate. Kain and Umah must search the docks to gain access to a war galley. The wharves are guarded by the Sarafan's finest: Glyph Knights who can detect the presence of vampires at a distance."'' Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Blood Omen 2(2002).Page 79.ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 but a conflict developed between Umah and Kain regarding the future of the Cabal after the removal of the Sarafan and Hylden threat, which led to Umah betraying Kain and stealing the Nexus Stone in an attempt to defeat the Sarafan Lord and the claim the Soul Reaver for herself. "As Umah and Kain approach the wharves, she begins to question his motives and his plans for the future. When it becomes apparent that Kain plans to rule all of Nosgoth, with no place for the remaining vampires, Umah steals the Nexus Stone and disappears." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Blood Omen 2(2002).Page 79.ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 As Umah Teleported off, Kain angrily pursued her into the Wharves. The Wharves were primarily a dockside locations, with many seafront activities (including fishing, shipping and trade) visible along the waterfront . After entering the Marketplace from the main bridge, Kain was able to overhear a Merchant's password First Man: "They won’t let me down to the docks! They say it’s because of the fog, but I need to get to my boat!"//'Second Man:' "Just give him the the password, ‘North Star’. He’ll let ya through."//'First Man:' "Thanks, mate. I owe you one." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. and use it to enter the docks, Objective 2 : Obtain the Password "The human at the gate will not let you through until you provide him with a valid password." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Blood Omen 2(2002).Page 79.ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 Gate Guard: "You again? Password."//'Kain:' "North Star"//'Gate Guard:' "Good enough. Come on, then." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. (despite Sarafan restrictions due to the fog Gate Guard: "No one’s allowed through without the password. The fog’s come in, and no ships will be sailing until they turn the lighthouses on." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript.). As Kain progressed further into the Wharves he manipulated several lighthouses to move ships Objective 3 : Turn on the Lighthouses "You need to sneak aboard a ship to reach the Hylden Gate, but no ships will be arriving until the lighthouses are activated." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Blood Omen 2(2002).Page 80.ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 and on the advice of a Cabal Contact, Contact: "Keep your distance."//'Kain:' "Never fear."//'Contact:' "Are you Kain? They sent me to help you. We must reposition the lighthouse so that the Seraphan supply ship will dock, and the drawbridge will lower." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Kain manipulated the main lighthouse, tricking the Sarafan into lowering the drawbridge so that he was able to enter the Southern Docks. Objective 4 : Reposition the Lighthouse "The drawbridge ahead won't open until a ship arrives, and that won't happen until you reposition the next lighthouse." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Blood Omen 2(2002).Page 81.ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 Puzzle : Lighthouse #3 Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Blood Omen 2(2002).Page 82.ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 A short while inside Kain caught up with Umah (severely injured by a Sarafan Knight ambush) and rejecting her pleas for help, he murdered her for her betrayal. "Leave the loading area and pass through the gate that the Demon broke open. As you do so, a cut-scene will show a wounded Umah cornered by a Knight. Kain comes to her aid.//In her weakened state, she cannot prevent Kain from taking back the Nexus Stone. Umah asks for Kain's help to restore her health, but instead he repays her for her betrayal." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Blood Omen 2(2002).Page 83.ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 On the advice of Vorador (using the whisper and unaware of Umah's death) Kain released a Greater Demon from its cage and took its place being loaded into a ship bound for the Hylden City. (~As Kain finally reaches the Southern Docks, Vorador contacts him, unaware that Kain has just murdered his daughter in cold blood.~) Vorador: "Kain, you must unleash the demon out of its cage. Then use the empty cage to smuggle yourself onto the ship. Kain, be careful…" Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. "While standing inside the empty cage, use your Charm on the human from a distance. Once again, force him to pull the center lever. The crane will swing over to the Galley with Kain inside. Welcome aboard! Next stop, the Hylden city." Prima Games. Prima's Official Strategy Guide to Blood Omen 2(2002).Page 85.ISBN 0-7615-3774-0 Notes *Maps indicate that the Wharves is located on its own island (or small set of islands) just offshore of the Lower City. Blood Omen 2 Maps at Nosgothic Realm. Kain also appears to enter the Wharves into a central marketplace, and once gaining access he moves around the outer docks, passing the opening bridge in the process before moving round to the Southern Docks . As with many of the directions given in Blood Omen 2, orientation is disputed and may be incorrect. *Kain found that the security around the Wharves increased dramatically as he approached the Southern Docks (where the Hylden City ships were being loaded). Initially Kain found himself in a NPC-heavy central Marketplace with many closed-off gates (due to fog), turning on several lighthouses he was able to allow the ships around the outer docks to depart (allowing Kain to Jump across). Later on (as suggested by a Cabal Contact ) Kain manipulates the direction of the (presumably) main Lighthouse using some interesting Glyph magic machinery and allowing a Sarafan supply ship to dock and opening the heavily guarded drawbridge to the Southern Dock . *Most of the scenery in the Wharves involves wooden 'dockside' areas, though the central marketplace is a notable exception. There are numerous 'businesses' around the docks with several unusual signs; these are all icons and include a fishing net, an anchor, waves, a large dolphin-like creature, an ugly 'goblin' face drinking an ale (this indicates a Tavern, which also features a rare Barmaid NPC), a lighthouse, two seahorses, a strange creature with an elongated snout and a woman wearing a shell bra (possibly a mermaid) . Many of these signs are repeated throughout the level . *Inside the 'Southern Docks', Kain finds an area with several human NPC's (mainly Industrial workers) locked in cages and protesting against their capture . Given dialogue, It is probable that these humans were being taken to the Hylden City to become Slaves. Prisoner 1: "Help! Help me!"//'Prisoner 2:' "Let us out! You can’t do this to us!"//'Sarafan Guard:' "Silence! No one expects you’ll all get there alive. Anyone wish to die now? Good." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Gallery BO2-TW-Entrance.png|Gateway to Meridian BO2-TW-SarafanGatehouse.png|Wharves entrance Gateway BO2-TW-Marketplace.png|Central Wharves Marketplace (with 'snout animal' sign) BO2-TW-Lighthouse-LargeShip.png|First Lighthouse and docked ship BO2-TW-Lighthouse-LargeShip2.png|Second Lighthouse and docked ship BO2-TW-GlyphMachinery.png|Glyph Machinery inside Main Lighthouse BO2-TW-GlyphMachinery2.png|Glyph Machinery inside Main Lighthouse BO2-TW-Lighthouse3.png|Main Lighthouse BO2-TW-SarafanDrawbridge.png|Guarded entrance to Southern Docks BO2-TW-GDemonCage.png|Greater Demon in Cage for transport to Hylden City BO2-TW-GDemonPrison.png|Full Prison for Greater Demon BO2-TW-GDemonCageRage.png|Greater Demon set loose on Sarafan Knights BO2-TW-HyldenDock.png|Other Hylden loading dock BO2-TW-KainCage.png|Kain being loaded onto Sarafan Ship to Hylden City BO2-WeaponRack.png|Weapon Racks BO2-TW-FishSign.png|Wharves Signage BO2-TW-FishSign2.png|Fishnet Sign BO2-TW-LighthouseSign.png|Lighthouse Sign BO2-TW-SeahorsesSign.png|Twin Seahorses Sign BO2-TW-ShellWomanSign.png|Shell Woman Sign BO2-TW-GoblinSign.png|Tavern Sign BO2-TW-GoblinBarInterior.png|Tavern Interior BO2-TW-Barwoman2.png|'Unique' NPC Barwoman See also *''Betrayal (chapter)'' * Chapter 10: The Wharves - "Betrayal" Script at Nosgothic Realm. * Chapter 10: The Wharves - "Betrayal" Script at Dark Chronicle * Conversations in Nosgoth - Chapter Ten at Dark Chronicle References Browse Category:Blood Omen 2 Category:Browse Category:Locations Category:Locations/Blood Omen 2 major locations Category:Locations/Blood Omen 2 Category:Locations/Villages